Should I get an electric or
nitro powered radio-controlled car?
This is one of the most
important questions that most beginners over look. Nitro powered
cars are a lot faster and required more driving skill to control.
There is also more Maintenance required because of the nitro engine.
The user will need to learn and understand engine tuning and
mechanics of basic hobby engines. Strong parental supervision is
recommended for users under 16 years of
age.
Electric powered cars
are much simpler and require less maintenance than nitro. The user
simply charges the batteries and run the car. Very little adjusting
is needed. Recommended for beginners.
What additional
items are needed to drive my
car?
If you have a
nitro-powered car then you will need the following items: 12 AA
batteries, Glow Heater (G70402), High quality car model fuel 20%,
Flat head screwdriver, Fuel
bottle
If you have an
electric powered car then you will need the following items: 8 AA
batteries, 7.2-volt battery, 7.2-volt battery charger
Can
I use different tires on my
car?
You may use any
brand of tire as long as it fits on the wheel. The Fun Factor wheels
take 2.2 tires and our GX1 or SP1 take normal 24/26mm sedan
tires.
If my engine is running hot what do I
do?
If your engine is
running too hot you need to richen up the fuel mixture. This means
the engine needs more fuel to lower the temperature.
Why
will my car not
start?
99% of the
time when our customers cant get there engines to start is because
they didn't charge or install a fresh battery into there glow
igniter.
How do I stop/stall my
engine?
The best way
to stall the engine is to simply run it out of fuel. To stall the
engine quickly, simply cut-off the exhaust with a rag or your
finger. Be careful the pipe may be hot.
My electric car
rolls slowly or does not stop in
neutral?
You need to
adjust your throttle trim. Turning the knob in one direction will
make the car roll faster, turning the knob the other way will make
the car stop.
Do your cars have
reverse?
Our electric
cars do have reverse. Our nitro-powered cars/trucks do not have
reverse.
What % of fuel should I use?
We highly
recommend using 20% fuel.
How the Engine
Works The
CEN nitro engine is a two-stroke, air-cooled (water-cooled marine)
engine. It features a true "ABC" (Aluminum, Brass, Chrome)
construction. The chrome sleeve has a slight taper so the aluminum
piston fits tighter towards the top of the sleeve compared to the
bottom. When the engine reaches proper operating temperature its
perfect running tolerances will then be achieved. The piston will
feel tighter when the engine is
cold.
Fuel enters
the engine through the carburetor where it is mixed with air. The
fuel/air mixture is then drawn into the crankcase. The crankshaft
has a rotating valve, which opens and closes the crankcase to let
fuel into it. On the pistons down stroke, the crankcase becomes
pressurized, and fuel is blown into the combustion chamber through
intake ports cut into the sleeve. On the upstroke, the fuel is
compressed and ignited. When first trying to start your engine, the
electrically heated glow plug causes the fuel to ignite. Once the
engine is running the fuel is ignited by rapid compression in the
combustion chamber. The exhaust is then released through a third
port in the
sleeve.
The oil
that is contained in the fuel mixture lubricates the surfaces of the
piston and the sleeve. The oil in the fuel also helps to cool the
engine while running. Some of the oil is burned when in the
combustion process which is what creates the blue smoke trail from
the car.
The air to
fuel mixture is critically important. A mixture that is too "rich"
means that there is too much fuel, a mixture that is too "lean"
means that there is not enough fuel for the given amount of air.
When the mixture is too rich, performance will be sluggish. There is
also a high potential to foul the glow plug when running the car too
rich. When the mixture is too lean, there is not enough oil to
lubricate and cool the engine parts. Running too lean will almost
certainly damage internal engine parts as well as foul the glow
plug.
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Required
Equipment To
operate your new engine you are going to need the following items.
These items should all be available at your local hobby dealer.
- Glow heater/glow igniter (part# G70402)
- Model engine fuel formulated for cars between 20-30%% nitro
content.
- Fuel bottle, needed to fuel up your gas tank.
- Small Phillips and flat head screw drivers. Needed for making
adjustment to carburetor.
- After-run oil. Should be used after running the engine to
prevent rust and corrosion.
- Spare glow plugs. Glow plugs will always be one of the first
items to go bad in a nitro engine.
- Air filter; never run your engine with out a good quality air
filter.
- 5/16-inch nut driver or glow plug wrench.
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Glow Starter
The glow heater is a
battery-powered device that heats the glow plug so the engine can be
started. You should not leave the glow igniter on the glow plug for
long periods of time; this could burn up your glow plug leaving it
useless. You will always need to use the glow heater to start your
engine. Most of the time an engine doesn't start is due to a dead
battery on the glow heater.
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Fuel Always
read and follow all of the instructions on your fuel bottle. Nitro
fuel is very flammable and
poisonous.
Fuel is
the most important component for making your engine run and perform
properly. Poor fuels will cause hard starting, poor performance and
excessive wear of the engine. CEN currently recommends these
fuels:
Byron's
Originals
O'Donnell
Redline
There
are many good brands of fuels on the market. You may use any of them
as long as they meet the basic minimum requirements.
- Fuel must be a castor and synthetic oil blend with total oil
content of 12-18%
- 3-5% castor oil must be used in a synthetic/castor oil blend
of fuel.
- Nitro methane (Nitro) content should be around 20-30%.
The best fuels
on the market today are castor/synthetic blends. The castor provides
high temperature lubrication while the synthetic oils help prevent
varnish build up inside the engine. The higher quality fuels also
contain anti-wear agents, anti-foaming agents, lubrication
additives, and rust and corrosion inhibitors. Use fuels that are
made for use in cars, not airplanes. (Airplane/boat fuel is ok for
marine engines) Car fuel will give better performance with easier
tuning, and longer run times.
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Fuel
Bottle Most
brands of fuels are sold in a one-gallon containers, this makes it
very hard to fill up your small gas tank with out a smaller bottle.
You could also choose to get a small hobby fuel pump to help get
fuel into your small tank. Always keep your fuel container closed
tightly. The methanol in the fuel will evaporate very quickly
leaving you with a bottle of bad fuel. Do not use fuel that is old
or discolored, this is a sign of old stall gas.
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Radio System
OperationReady to run CEN models
only.
Install 4
"AA" batteries in the receiver pack on the car. Next install 8 "AA"
batteries in the transmitter. Pull out the battery holder in the
transmitter located at the bottom. Put in batteries correctly and
replace with the metal tabs lining up on both the battery holder and
the transmitter.
- Turn on the radio system and check that all servos are working
correctly. Check all the linkages to make sure they are not
binding. *Always remember; the transmitter is the first to be
tuned on and the last to be turned off. Never turn off the radio
when the engine is running. To stall the engine you can either run
it out of gas or pinch the fuel line until it stalls. The switch
on the car only turns off the electronics in the car, not the
engine.
- Always make sure the batteries in both your car and your radio
are strong or fully charged. Attempting to run your car with weak
batteries will make the car not respond to users controls. It
could even completely become uncontrollable and become a "runaway
car" and severely damage the car.
- Check the wires from your battery and your antenna wire every
few runs. These wires could become damaged and result in loss of
control.
- Before starting the engine, always check the range of the
transmitter before running the car. Short range can be the result
of a broken antenna wire or weak batteries.
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Starting the Engine
(with a pump)
Step 1:
Filling the fuel
tank
Using a
small fuel bottle or bulb to put fuel in to the fuel tank. Only fill
the tank ?full. You can refill the tank while the engine is running
if desired.
Step 2: High-Speed mixture
setting
The
high mixture screw controls how much fuel enters the engine during
mid and high-speed operation. Turn the high-speed mixture screw
clockwise, by hand until it stops. Now unscrew the screw
counter-clockwise 3 1/2 full turns out.
Step 3: Setting
the idle
speed
The idle
screw is just a carburetor barrel stop. It just stops the carburetor
from closing too far. Looking at the throttle opening on the
carburetor, the opening should be between 1-1 ?millimeters at the
widest point in the opening. The idle speed will increase the wider
the opening is. The idle may need further adjusting once the engine
is up to running temperature. *When you tighten the idle screw open
the carburetor a little to take the pressure of the idle screw. Not
doing so could snap the tip of the screw off.
Step 4:
Low-speed mixture
setting
This
adjustment screw controls the mixture at low speeds. The low-end
screw is located on the side of the carburetor in the center of the
throttle arm. Adjust this screw so the top of the screw head is
flush with the throttle arm.
Step 5: Attaching the air
filter
Never
run the engine with out an air filter. Doing so will cause premature
engine failure. Using a zip tie to secure the air filter from
falling off during hard driving.
Step 6: Priming the
engine
On top
of the fuel tank you will find a priming pump. This is used to get
fuel through the lines and into the carburetor when starting. Press
the pump a couple of times until fuel reaches the carburetor.
Pumping too many times will flood the engine.
Step 7:
Shutting off the
engine
When you
are finished running the engine you may "kill" it by either pinching
off the fuel line or simply running it out of fuel. You may also
stop the engine by stopping the flywheel; most people use their shoe
for this. Do not use your fingers.
Step 8: Starting the
engine
Turn the
radio system on. Now, attach the glow heater to the glow plug.
Giving short quick pulls (no more then 6 inches out) pull the pull
starter cord on the engine. Pulling the starter out to far will
break the spring inside. Do not treat this like a lawnmower. It is
not a lawnmower. If the cord becomes hard to pull it is most likely
you have flooded the engine. Wait a few minutes then retry. If the
starter is hard to pull, you could also loosen the glow plug ?of a
turn then retighten once you have the engine
started.
If the
engine does not start, have a friend hold half throttle on the
transmitter to help get it started. You could also open the
carburetor manually by moving the throttle
arm.
If, after many
tries, you still cannot get the engine to fire you may have a fouled
glow plug, glow heater not charged or working correctly, or the
engine may be flooded. Most starting problems are glow heater or
fuel related.
Starting the engine without a pump
please use these instructions if your R/C car/boats fuel
tank did not come with a primer pump
 CEN Racing has made
a running change to your fuel tank. The new tank now includes a
filtering stone and we have removed the primer pump. We found the
removal of the primer and the addition of the stone to produce a
more reliable fuel system. Use the following steps to start your
engine.
To start your engine
| Step 1:
Charge your glow igniter or glow heater
|
| Step 2:
Fill your fuel tank with high quality
20% nitro fuel. |
| Step 3:
Plug the exhaust outlet with your finger
and pull the pull starter 3-4 times. Watch for fuel to fill
the fuel line. Once you see fuel get to the carburetor take
your finger off the exhaust outlet. |
| Step 4:
Put your glow igniter onto your glow
plug. Give the engine 1/4 - 1/2 throttle using the transmitter
and pull the pull cord with short quick pulls. No need to pull
it more than 5-6 inches out.
Warning: pulling more than
5-6 inches will bend the spring and may snap the cord.
|
Important
Note: Attempting to start a hot engine may prove to be difficult. If
engine is hot and difficult to start, let it cool down completely
then try again.
To turn off
your engine: Follow these simple steps when you are done running
your engine. Please keep in mind that model car fuel is very
corrosive and it's best to burn all the fuel out of the engine at
the end of your race. Simply run your fuel tank dry and the engine
will burn all excess fuel that's in the fuel lines and inside the
engine. Recommend that you always use after run oil at the end of
each days running.
Here are two different ways to stall
your engine before you run it out of fuel.
| 1. Simply use a rag to block the exhaust flow from the
muffler/ tunedj pipe.
be careful the pipe may be very
hot. |
| 2. Pinch the fuel line that feeds the carburetor with
fuel. The engine will rev. up then stall. This is normal
because the engine is being leaned out due to lack of fuel.
|
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Breaking-in the Engine
Notice:
CEN high performance engines must be correctly
broken-in for maximum performance and life! Rushing this process can
result in premature engine
failure.
One
important thing to remember when breaking in a new engine, it will
appear to not run correctly. It will stall, operate very
inconsistently, and may even foul glow plugs. Don't get frustrated
with it. Just keep working with it and it will become a smooth
running engine. These experiences are what can be called "break-in
pains". Every new engine has to go through this. When you get the
engine started, be sure to keep it running by giving it throttle
when it sounds like it's going to stall. Pulling the throttle
quickly can also stall the engine. After a couple of tanks your
patience will pay off with a very strong, reliable running
engine.
Break-in
should be done using at least 4-5 tanks of fuel. Please don't
take short cuts and run less tanks. Don't listen to your friends
that tell you that it doesn't really matter, IT
DOES!
Its best to
break-in the engine using the same nitro content as you plan to use
for everyday use. The engine should be broken-in on a smooth hard
surface. For a boat engines, try to find smooth clam water. Try to
avoid breaking-in the engine on very hot, or humid days.
Turning the
mixture screws clockwise will "lean" the air/fuel mixture. This will
increase power and increase engine temperature. Turning the screws
to the left counter-clockwise will "richen" the air/fuel mixture.
This will cool the engine and make it last longer. When adjusting
the idle screw, turning to the left will lower the idle and right
will raise the idle. Remember to open the carburetor a little
whenever you tighten the idle screw to prevent breaking off the tip
of the
screw.
Always
break-in your engine without the body on the car, you want as much
airflow as you can get to keep the engine cool. Do not run the
engine too lean or you will over heat it and cause permanent damage
to the internal components of the
engine.
It is
normal for the engine to consume a lot of fuel during break-in. This
is because you are running it "richer" than you normally would to
keep the engine cool and to flush out the engine as the parts "seat"
themselves. Because of the richer than normal setting the
performance of the engine will be limited. After break-in, you will
then lean it out to gain
performance.
It's
always a good idea to get an extra glow plug (short, cold plug). It
is normal to have to replace it after break-in because of the
deposits left on in from the break-in process. Glow plugs are a
normal item that needs replacing. Because they have such a huge
influence on they way your engine runs it best to always have a few
spares on hand.
- Start your engine, drive the car slowly around to let the
engine heat up. Ease the throttle on and off slowly. Don't let the
car stay still for long periods of time, this will heat up the
clutch bell and could damage it.
- The idle speed should be set as low as possible to keep the
engine running when the car is stopped.
- 3. The final settings on the top end needle will vary slightly
from engine to engine. Look for the following performance signs:
- Engine should accelerate quickly.
- Blue/white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. If no blue
smoke it coming out, you need to "richen" the top end needle.
- Alternate driving at low to medium speeds, with short periods
of high speed running
- When the engine reaches normal running temperature, it will
pick up speed and performance will improve.
- When the tank is close to running out bring in the car and
shut off the engine. Let it cool completely, then refuel and run
again. Part of the break-in process is also to heat cycle the
parts in side the engine.
- Remember always run the engine with a clean air filter.
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Signs of
Overheating If
your engine stalls from overheating it most likely has caused damage
to the components inside of
it.
The simplest
way to test for over heating is to put a drop of water or spite on
top of the engine head. If it boils away instantly shut the engine
down and let it cool off. If it takes 5-7 seconds for the water to
evaporate away, then the engine is running at a good temperature.
Hobby shops sell temperature guns that tell you what they are
running at. Ideally you want it to run around 260 degrees.
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Tuning Engine for
Power By
now, your engine should be broken in by now. You can start to adjust
it for maximum performance. The first thing you should check is to
make sure that when you pull full throttle the carburetor is fully
opening. If you take the air filter off and pull the trigger all the
way back it should look like the picture. You should always keep the
engine within its intended operating temperature. Going above these
could and most likely will cause damage. As you lean the engine out,
it will run faster and faster till you hit a point where it will
overheat. When this has happened it will start to stutter, hesitate,
or even stall. The engine will over heat very quickly when the
mixture has been set too lean. Check the engine often when
leaning it out to make sure its not
overheating.
When
you have the mixture set correctly you will hear the engine running
smoothly and have a strong-sounding high pitch when you let it wind
out. Running the engine a little "rich" is always a lot better then
running it to "lean".
Once again: Lean = less fuel
Rich = more fuel
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Tuning the High-Speed
Mixture The
high-speed mixture will affect the way engine runs at mid and high
R.P.M.s. This is the main needle that you will adjust the most. Once
you get you engine running good, this will be the only needle that
you should have to mess with.
Run the car on a
smooth flat surface with enough room to let the model get up to top
speed. Keep track of the speed as you slowly (1/8 of a turn at a
time) lean the engine. You can lean it as long as you continue to
have thick blue smoke coming out of the pipe. If the engine gets up
to top speed and looses power most likely you have "leaned" it too
much. You want the high-speed mixture to be lean enough to get good
power and still keep the engine cool. Use a temperature gun or the
"spit" test to check the temperature of your engine. Remember, you
want the engine to run around 270' or spit to sit on the head for
around 5-7 seconds.
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Tuning the Low-Speed
Mixture The
low speed mixture affects how the engine will perform at idle and
low R.P.M.s. Like the high-end mixture, the "leaner" you run it the
more performance you will get out of it. If it is set too "lean" it
will stutter and even stall
out.
To properly
set the low-end mixture, do the following procedures: Get the engine
up to running operation temperature. Then from a complete stop pull
full throttle, if the engine bogs down, you need to "lean" it out a
bit. If it speeds up then bogs down, it's too "lean", "richen it up
a bit. You want it to accelerate well with out stalling.
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Adjusting the Slipper
Clutch Some
CEN cars are equipped with a slipper clutch. This is usually only on
our 2wd versions. You want to set this so it doesn't slip when
accelerating to slip when landing off a jump. Do not lock down. This
will cause excessive strain on the drive train. When using on dirt
you may use it to control tire spin. If you set it to slip for about
a foot it will make it easier to drive in loose conditions.
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After
Running After
you have used your car for the day and are ready to store it here
are some things you should follow to keep it in top shape for the
next time you use it.
Because there is
methanol in the fuel any left inside of the engine will attract
moisture. This could cause corrosion on the internal parts of the
engine. To combat this you should do the following.
- Drain the fuel tank completely
- Using your glow heater start the engine and run it until it
burns all of the fuel that in the lines and in the engine out.
- Remove the air filter and apply 6 drops of after run oil into
the carburetor. Now pull the pull starter a few times to circulate
that oil. Do not use the glow heater for this step! Do not store
your car with fuel inside of it.
- Clean off any fuel that remains on the car. Clean off any dirt
or debris that remains on the car as well.
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Troubleshooting
Glow
plugs are items that will need to be replaced on a regular
basis to maintain maximum performance. When your engine will not
start this should be the first thing to be checked or replaced. The
glow plug may also be the problem if your engine just seems to be
running poorly. You may also check to see it the glow plug is
leaking. Look for bubbles at the base of the glow plug. Tighten the
glow plug, if problem still persists, replace glow plug with new.
The only true way to see if your glow plug is bad is to replace with
new. Checking by putting into glow heater to see if it lights is
good to see if your heater is working, it may not show that a plug
is fouled. Usually if the first few coils don't light up the plug is
bad. If the plug doesn't glow bright orange, your glow heater may
need to be
charged.
When
installing new glow plug, loosen plug using a 5/16-inch wrench. Be
careful not to get any dirt inside the engine. Look for the copper
gasket, don't loose this, may be needed if new plug didn't come with
one.
Replacement
glow plugs are available from your local hobby shop. Your engine
came with a standard short, cold plug. Do not use plugs with
idle
bars.
Nitro
Fuel Many problems occur when using low quality fuels. Many
times we get cars to tune and just by putting good quality fuel in
them they run perfectly. During break-in period you will be using a
lot of fuel. This is because of the "rich" settings that are
required for this process. When your car/boat is running out of
fuel, the fuel/air mixture will lean out radically. Because of this
you should avoid letting the engine rev up to high R.P.Ms. This
could foul the glow plug, and create un-necessary over heating of
the engine. Always be sure to keep the cap on your fuel bottle
tight! If you leave the cap of the bottle even for a few days you
should dispose of the entire bottle of fuel. This is because one of
the major components of the fuel is methanol. Methanol will attract
moisture from the air and suck it into your fuel if left in contact
with air. Uncapped fuel will also get dust and other containments in
it that will harm you engine. Keep the fuel out of direct
sunlight.
Poor
quality fuels will create a number of different problems for your
engine. There are brands of fuel that do not use pure nitro methane.
They use a low cost blend of nitro methane and nitro propane. If
your fuel is not a blend of both castor and high quality oil, its
high recommended that you do not use it. Simply put, cheap fuel will
cause a lot of problems that will make your experience a bad one.
You MUST use a fuel that meets the guidelines listed above to assure
a good running engine. Be sure to use a nitro content between
10-20%. The higher the nitro content, the hotter the engine will
run. Usually its best to use lower nitro% in warn weather and higher
in cold.
Always
check the fuel lines for cracks or splits at the fittings on the
tank and the carburetors. These cracks or splits will allow air to
enter the line, which will lean the fuel/air mixture. If you think
you may have any problems with the fuel lines replace with
new.
Flooding
it is easy to accidentally flood the engine. If you find the pull
starter difficult to pull that is a symptom of the engine being
flooded. To get the excess fuel out of the engine remove the glow
plug, hold engine upside down and pull the started a few times. The
gas will drip out, and then retighten the glow plug and
retry.
Carburetor
The carburetor is one of the simplest components on the engine. It
controls how the engine will run and how reliable it is going to be.
Because of the importantes of the carburetor, you must always make
sure to keep it clean. Dirt is its worst enemy; always clean any
dirt that you see on it, especially around the air intake. If your
air filter becomes dirty and you can't wash it always replace with
new. If you are getting a lot of dirt or debris in your fuel tank
you may want to install a fuel filter in the intake line. These are
available at your local hobby shop.
Fuel
mixture This is the only way you can adjust how your engine
will run. There are many factors that can result in your engine not
running perfectly. Fuel, ambient temperature, and humidity all
affect the way the engines going to run. If one day your engine runs
strong, then the next day it's really humid and cold then you may
need to make adjustments to the fuel mixture. This is a normal thing
to expect with all nitro engines.
Pull
Starter
Problems
Almost
all starter problems are due to pulling the cord out too far. Other
things that cause failure of pull starter are, pulling the cord when
the engine if flooded, and pulling the cord like it's a lawnmower.
Your car/boat is not a lawnmower and should not be treated as one.
Do not pull and let go of the cord, this could snap the handle off
the cord, or damage the spring inside. *Make sure to hold the
engine, not the hull when starting your boat or PWC.
Cooling
Problems
Overheating
is one of the most damaging things that can be done to a nitro
engine. Many things can cause it, poor air flow, mixture set to
"lean", towing or climbing for long periods of time, ECT. If your
engine overheats, stop the engine and let it cool down. Next look at
what might be the reason for the over heating. First check to see if
you have good air flow through the engine cooling head. The user
should always cut out a big hole in the windshield in front and in
back of the engine head. The driver side window is a good idea
too.
Clutch
Bells
The
clutch bell gear on your car will wear from use and should be check
regularly for excessive wear. When the teeth are worn to a point,
they need to be replaced. Check the spur gear for signs of wear when
replacing the clutch bell gear.
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Maintenance Connecting
rod The connection rod should be inspected every gallon of
gas you run. If it shows signs of wear, it needs to be
replaced.
Air
cleaner The air cleaner always needs to be on the engine
when you run your engine. It should always be kept clean or replaced
with new if it can't be cleaned. When washing air filter foam,
remember to use light oil on the out side of it. Best way to do this
is by placing the foam in a small plastic bag. Next place a couple
of drops of light oil on inside of the bag, do not use too much.
Then rub the foam around in the bag spreading the oil. You now
should have a lightly oiled air filter foam. Put air filter back
together and reinstall on
engine.
Cleaning
The engine should be cleaned on a regular basis to keep dirt and
grim down to a minimum. Not cleaning your engine can cause the
engine to overheat. Using a nitro wash, or denatured alcohol with a
toothbrush to scrub the parts clean. Be sure not to spray any type
of cleaner on the servos, receiver or the batteries. If the engine
is extremely dirty it's best to remove the engine from the chassis
or boat. *DO NOT GET ANY CLEANER ON THE HULL OF YOUR BOAT.
Always check the drive train of the car to make sure it's not bond
up. This will create the engine to overheat and loose performance.
Always check the bushing/bearings to make sure they are spinning
freely. If they are dirty or gritty you may clean them with nitro
wash and then re-oil them. For bushings, let then soak in a light
oil then wipe off and re-install.
Storing
Your Car or
Boat
When
you are planning to store your model there are a few things that you
need to do to keep it in running condition. You should first empty
all the fuel out of the fuel tank. Second, burn all the remaining
fuel out of the engine and fuel lines. Third, clean entire car and
engine off. Fourth, remove air filter and put few drops of after-run
oil in carburetor. Pull the pull started a few times to coat all the
internal parts with oil. Store your fuel in an airtight container in
a dark cool place. If planning on not using for a long period of
time, may want to discard fuel. Old fuel should not be use for any
reasons.
Using Your Model
Safely
As
the owner of the model, it is your responsibility to see that it is
used in a safe and reasonable manner. By using common since, you
will avoid serious injury to your self, or the people around you.
Here is a list of things to know:
- Nitro fuel is dangerous. The fuel is extremely poisonous and
can ignite is in contact with a spark. Follow all instructions on
the outside of the container.
- Keep your car/boat and all tools including fuel, away from
small children.
- The exhaust from the engine contains poisonous carbon monoxide
gas. Always use in a well-ventilated area. Never start your engine
indoors unless there is adequate ventilation.
- The engine, exhaust pipe, and of course, the engines cooling
head, will become extremely hot when in, and after use. Try to
avoid touching there areas as they have the potential to burn you.
- We do not recommend running your model at night, on public
streets, or in crowded areas.
- Always be careful not to come in contact with the engines
flywheel.
- Your model car or boat is a high performance machine. Because
of the high speeds your car or boat, they can cause serious injury
to either yourself, or spectators. Always be careful not to hurt
anyone.
- As you already know, your engine creates a lot of noise.
Because of this, be considerate to your neighbors. Try to run your
car/boat in a place where the noise will not disturb anyone.
- Do not attempt to run your engine with gasoline, alcohol,
naptha, or any other fuel other then model engine fuel.
Mechanical
Precautions
Your engine is a high performance
engine that can tune over 30,000 R.P.Ms at full throttle. If your
engine is ran at high R.P.Ms for a continuous amount of time, your
internal engine parts will be damaged and the overall life of the
engine will be reduced. If you are running the engine at high
speeds, expect to replace engine parts more often.
- Never run the engine with out the air filter. Replace or clean
if dirty.
- Always check air filter when refueling tank. If missing, shut
engine off and replace.
- When car is upside down, don't rev the engine. If car is
upside down too long it will stall.
- Do not over-rev the engine. Only give throttle when wheels are
on the ground.
- Allowing the engine to run out of fuel while at high R.P.Ms
can foul the glow plug.
- Test the radio system before operating each time. Always make
sure to use strong batteries. If you notice slow servos are any
low voltage light on your radio come on stop using and replace
batteries.
- Do not drive your car in thick grass or in soft sand. This
could lead to the engine overheating.
- Your engine is not waterproof! Running your model in water
will damage your electronics and your engine.
- The starter cord should not be pulled out more than 8 inches.
Longer pulls will only damage the spring inside the recoil.
- Do not buy fuel if you are unsure of the contents. Try to
avoid unknown names or brands. These may be cheaper, but may not
have the required contents and end up damaging your engine. For
the most part- all major brands should contain the correct oil
contents.
- Break-in the engine using the same percentage of nitro that
you expect to use engine.
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Quick Reference
Chart
| Description of Problem
| Cause of Problem
| Solution of Problem |
| Engine will not start
| Out of fuel
| Fill tank with fuel |
|
| Wrong type or poor quality fuel
| Replace fuel |
|
| Carburetor not primed
| Prime carburetor |
|
| Glow heater not charged
| Charge glow heater |
|
| Bad glow plug
| Replace glow plug |
|
| Engine flooded
| See Flooding |
|
| Engine too hot
| Allow engine to cool |
|
| Carburetor set incorrectly
| Readjust carburetor |
|
| Blocked exhaust
| Clean or remove debris from exhaust system |
|
| Air filter clogged
| Remove and clean air filter |
| Starter will not retract
| Broken spring
| Replace recoil assembly |
| Starter hard to pull
| Engine is flooded
| See flooding |
|
| Engine is seized or locked up
| Take engine apart |
| Engine starts then stalls
| Idle set to low
| Increase idle speed |
|
| Bad glow plug
| Replace with new |
|
| Low-speed mixture too "rich"
| "Lean" low-speed mixture |
|
| Low fuel tank pressure
| Check for blockage in fuel pressure line. |
|
| Engine overheated
| Allow engine to cool down |
| Engine sluggish or poor performance
| High-speed mixture set to "rich"
| Lean out high-speed mixture |
|
| Leaking glow plug
| Tighten or replace glow plug |
|
| Bad glow plug
| Replace glow plug |
|
| Old or dirty fuel
| Replace with new fuel |
|
| Carburetor dirty or blocked
| Clean carburetor, check for blockage |
|
| Engine overheating
| Stop running and richen fuel mixture |
|
| Slipper clutch set too loose
| Tighten slipper clutch |
|
| Tires not glued/wheel pins fell out
| Glue tires/replace wheel pins |
|
| Engine over geared
| Use lower gearing |
|
| Bound up drive train
| Check drive train, and make it free |
|
| Engine worn out
| Replace piston/sleeve and check connecting rod |
| Engine overheating
| High-speed mixture to lean
| Richen high-speed mixture (counter-clockwise) |
|
| Cooling air flow is blocked
| Cut holes in body to allow air flow |
|
| Nitro content too high
| Run nitro content between 10-20% |
|
| Fuel not containing correct lubricants
| Purchase a higher quality fuel |
|
| Excessive load on the engine
| Check for bound up drive train |
|
| Low-speed mixture too lean
| Richen low-speed mixture |
| For boats only
| Clogged cooling head
| Check water cooled head for clogging |
| Engine stutters or hesitates
| High or low-speed mixture too lean
| Richen high first then low |
|
| Engine overheated
| Stop engine and let it cool down |
|
| Bad glow plug
| Replace with new |
| Engine stall as soon as you give it gas
| Bad glow plug
| Replace with new |
|
| Low-speed mixture too lean
| Richen low-speed mixture |
|
| High-speed too rich
| Lean high-speed mixture |
| Engine stalls when I let go of throttle
| Idle set too low
| Increase idle |
| Engine stalls for no apparent reason
| Bad glow plug
| Replace with new |
|
| Engine overheated
| Shut off and let cool down, richen high-speed |
|
| Debris in fuel line
| Remove and retry |
|
| Poor fuel tank pressure
| Check hose foe clogging |
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Engine Assembly
  Step 1
Remove the
four machines screws that attach the pull starter. Next carefully
remove the recoil assembly, use a screwdriver to slide the one-way
bearing off the hub. You don't want the spring inside to come
uncoiled.
  Step 2
Remove the
four screws that attach the back plate. *When reassembling, its best
to replace the back plate gasket.
Step 3
You
should now see the connection rod. Look for cracks or other signs of
wear or damage. Also check for worn out bushings, there should be
very little play between bushings and the shaft.
Replacing Piston and
Sleeve
After
completing the steps above, remove the two screws that attach your
manifold.
Step 4
Next remove the four screws
that secure the engine head to the crankcase. *Be sure to use a good
wrench in order not to strip the head screws, they will be TIGHT
(part #G84234)
Step 5
With the cooling head
removed, gently pull the sleeve out, Take note of the way the ports
are pointed, and where the notch on the sleeve is
placed.
  Step 6
Slide the
bottom of the connecting rod off of the crankshaft stub. Also note
the direction the piston is facing. With the piston and connecting
rod out of the engine, you want to remove the piston pin.
 Step
7
With the piston off the connecting rod, put the new one
on onto the rod the same way the old piston was positioned. Push the
pin and replace the Teflon pin covers. Next put the piston with the
connecting rod inside the case and slide the rod on the crankshaft.
*Be sure to have the piston facing the correct
direction.
Step 8
Install the new sleeve.
Align the piston with the sleeve and slide the sleeve into place.
You need to make sure the notch in the sleeve is positioned in the
same placed it was when the head was taken off.
Step 9
Next
put the cooling head back onto the engine case. Tighten the screws
in a crossing direction as even as
possible.
 Step 10
Looking through the exhaust
port, you should see the hole in the sleeve line up with the hole in
the engine case. If there is not opening, you need to turn the
sleeve 180' When you turn the engine, you will see the piston push
up, look at the piston as its going pass the exhaust opening. You
should NOT see a port on the side of it. If you do, the piston is in
the wrong way, Turn 180'.
  Step 11
Now you
are ready to put the back plate and recoil assembly back onto the
engine. Put the back plate with new gasket on the back of the engine
case, to line up notch in the back plate turn the shaft that sticks
out of the back plate to line the notch on the back plate up with
the crank case. Attach using the four screws. Next put the recoil
assembly onto the back plate and attach with four more screws. Be
sure to put the one-way bearing in the recoil assembly on the same
way as you took it off.
Removing the Clutch
Assembly
To
remove the clutch shoes or the flywheel, follow the following
steps.
Step 1
Remove engine from model and
clean off all dirt and grim.
Step 2
Remove the clutch bell by
removing the screw at the end of the crankshaft. You will need to
use a large pair of pliers to grip the flywheel as you loosen the
screw.
   Step 3
Remove the
clutch bell. Now you will see the clutch shoes. Remove the "E" clip
with a small flat head screwdriver. Take note of the direction the
clutch shoes are installed. You want the shoes to follow the
direction of the engine. Pull the clutch shoes off leaving the
spring around them. You should now just be left with the flywheel.
To remove the flywheel, grip the flywheel using a large pair of
pliers, then with a 5/16th nut driver, loosen the clutch nut. The
flywheel should now come off; it may require a few taps to break it
loose.
Step 4
Check all parts for wear and
replace as needed. Check the inside of the clutch bell for material
left by the clutch shoes. If a lot of material is melted to the
inside of the clutch bell, you may need to replace the clutch shoes
as well.
*If you leave the car sitting still or towing items
for long periods of time, you definitely should consider replacing
the clutch shoes and even the clutch bell.
Check the two
bearings in the clutch bell. Are they smooth? They should be smooth
and not be gritty or locked up. If they are, you need to replace
them before reinstalling.
 Step 5
Follow the steps you just
completed but, in the opposite direction. Make sure to get the
clutch nut on tight. On some engines, there will be a flywheel shim
that's between the engine case and the back of the flywheel, look
for this when removing your flywheel, and replace if there is one.
You don't want your flywheel coming loose while your running.
Clearing the Water-Cooled Engine Head
on Nitro
Boats
If
you have used the boat in dirty water or the engine seems to be
overheating your engines cooling head may be clogged.
  Step 1
Remove the
four screws that attach the head to the engine. The cooling head
should come part. Remove anything that should not be
there.
Step 2
Replace halves back together
and attach with four screws.
Recoil Starter
Repair
  Remove
the recoil starter by removing the four screws that attach the
started to the engine. Next remove the one-way hub from the center
of the spool. Untie the knot that holds the handle on the cord. Let
the cord pull into the housing. Next Carefully disassemble the
recoil using extra caution with the recoil spring.
  Step 1
To
reassemble the starter, start by inserting the end of the spring
into the slot on the starter spool. Slowly wrap the spring around
the inside of the spool like the picture.
  Step 2
Insert the
spool into the recoil housing. Insert the end of the cord through
the hole in the outer casing. At this time tie a temporary knot in
the end of cord.
  Step 3
With the
cord through the hole and the spool inside the housing, its time to
coil up the spring. Using a pair of needle nosed pliers, grip the
spring through the center of the spool at the bend. Make sure the
cord is not pulled into the house or you need to start all over.
While holding the center of the spring turn and coil the spring
clock-wise to tighten the tension. Turn the spring one full rotation
and put the end of the spring into the spring mount in the center of
the housing.
  Step 4
Now you
need to put your handle back onto the cord. While holding the cord
from being pulled back into untie the temporary knot that was tied
in step 2, Slid the handle spacer then the handle onto the cord. You
now need to tie a double knot into the end to prevent the cord from
being pulled back in. Please note it may be difficult to hold the
cord and tie a knot at the same time. You may want someone to help
you. Your recoil should now work correctly. While holding the spool
in the housing
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Engine Exploded View
click to
enlarge
Back to
Top
Engine Parts List
click to
enlarge
Back to
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Recommend Carb.
Setting
Nemesis / Genesis NX76
Default-
Top End: 3 ½ turns out.
Bottom End: 1 ½ turns in from
flush.
After Break in
Top End: 3 turn out
Bottom End: Flush
Matrix NX26
Default-
Top
End 3 & 1/3 turns out
Mid
½ in from flush
Bottom- 3 ½ - 4 turns in from flush
After Break in-
Top- 3 turns out
Mid- Flush
Bottom 4 turns in
CT4 / CT5 NX-15
Default:
Top: 3 1/2 turns
out
Bottom: 4 turns in from
FLUSH
After Break
in:
Top: 3 turns
out
Bottom: 4 1/2
turns in from FLUSH
Fun Factor / NX Series / TR4/ Boats NT16,
NT-18, NX3.0
Default
Top: 3 1/2 turns
out
Bottom: FLUSH
After Break
in:
Top: 3 turns
out
Bottom:
1 - 1/2 turn in from FLUSH
Please be sure to read and follow the instructions
supplied with the 2-speed carefully. The following tips will help
you get your 2-speed to shift correctly.
My 2-speed does
not shift?
First thing to check is was shifting hub
(G84302-01) installed correctly. Make sure that shift hub is
installed exactly as pictured in the instructions. Both sides of the
hub look the same use the setscrews as a reference to match the
picture.
If you are sure your shift hub is installed correctly
but its still not shifting than you need to loosen the spring
tension on the shift finger. To achieve this, you need to loosen the
3x3 setscrew with a 1.5mm wrench. Adjust ?turn at a time until
desired shifting is obtained.
My Pinion gears keep coming
loose on my clutch bell?
If you purchased the 2-speed
with the treaded clutch bell you need to tighten up the pinions onto
the clutch bell. First get them as tight as you can before
installing it onto your car. The first time you run the car, tighten
them further by taking off from a complete stop a few times. It's
important to not use the brakes the first few times. If you didn't
tighten them on well they will come off when you hit the
breaks.
Make sure your 2-speed was designed for the car
you installed it on.
If you install a 2-speed onto a
car/truck it was not designed for it may not shift. This is due to
the fact of different gearing combinations being used for different
cars. One example of this would be installing a 2-speed designed for
a rally car onto a MT. In most cases, it will not
shift.
What are these extra springs for?
Some
models include 2 free adjustment springs. These springs are softer
and stiffer than the stock spring. Use these to adjust the shifting
point on your car if the stock spring does not give you the desired
effect.
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